Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s campaign strategy for the upcoming GOP presidential primary debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been revealed in recently leaked memos. The internal documents, which were first reported by the New York Times, were exposed after being discovered on a website owned by Jeff Roe, the chief strategist of the pro-DeSantis Never Back Down super PAC.
The leaked memos provide insight into the campaign’s plans for the debate, including specific advice on how DeSantis should handle himself on stage. According to the documents, DeSantis is advised to attack President Joe Biden and the media multiple times during the debate. He is also encouraged to present his positive vision for the future and defend former President Donald Trump in absentia, particularly in response to potential attacks from former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
One memo even goes so far as to offer DeSantis specific lines to use during the debate. It suggests he should refrain from attacking Trump directly, given the former president’s absence from the stage. Instead, the memo recommends DeSantis say, Trump isn’t here, so let’s just leave him alone. He’s too weak to defend himself here. We’re all running against him. I don’t think we want to join forces with someone on this stage who’s auditioning for a show on MSNBC.
Notably, the Never Back Down PAC released an advertisement on Wednesday taunting Trump as too weak to debate, given his refusal to commit to participating in debates.
In addition to attacking Biden and defending Trump, the memos also advise DeSantis to launch a vicious attack on Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur who has recently gained traction in the polls with a pro-Trump message. The memo suggests DeSantis use a Trump-like insult and nickname for Ramaswamy, such as Fake Vivek or Vivek the Fake.
The New York Times discovered these memos after being tipped off to their existence by an individual not connected to the DeSantis campaign or the super PAC. Upon reaching out to Never Back Down for comment, the group removed a key memo summarizing the debate strategy from their website.
It is unclear how these leaked memos will affect DeSantis’s campaign and the upcoming debate. While attacking opponents, Biden, and the media may appeal to some Republican voters, it remains to be seen whether this strategy will resonate with a broader audience. As the debate approaches, all eyes will be on DeSantis’s performance and how he navigates the advice outlined in the leaked memos.
